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Travelling to Spain? Here's what to expect from 5G

If you are planning a trip to Spain, you'll want to know what to expect from the 5G when you get there

Spain and the rest of Europe are all ploughing resources and funding into improving their mobile networks and service providers' offers to keep up with the vast consumption of data and internet use these days.

5G is the new kid on the block, replacing 4G (the fourth generation), and mobile providers are now in direct competition with each other to provide the best and most reliable 5G services and pull in the most customers, including holiday tourists visiting the country.

What is 5G?

By now, everyone has heard of 3G, 4G and 5G, but what is 5G, and what can it do? 5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks. It follows on from 4G, which almost every smartphone user would have experienced.

5G is expected to have higher upload and download speeds than its predecessors, better and more reliable connections and a vast capacity improvement compared to the older versions.

What can you expect from 5G in Spain?

We're rapidly approaching the holiday season, and many tourists will now begin to venture far and wide across the globe to holiday destinations.

In this day and age, Irish tourists, for example, will expect to be able to use their smartphones and internet data just as they would at home, to check their emails, keep up to date on their social media news, or play their favourite games at an online casino that holds an Irish gambling license.

Spain has been battling to improve its 5G networks and keep up with the rest of Europe for those top, impressive speeds and connections. The current front-runner for the top spot would appear to be a network called Movistar, which has won several industry awards.

They came in first for the overall experience, including the best 5G for video experience, games experience, download speeds, upload speeds and voice app experience.

The company also came in first place for the all-important '5G Experience' category, which included 5G video experience, 5G voice app experience, 5G games experience, 5G download speeds and 5G upload speeds.

That's not forgetting also coming in joint first place with mobile network provider Orange for coverage of 5G availability. They certainly cleaned up in that set of awards.

Mobile network provider, Orange, also won the award for general Coverage Availability, putting them in second place overall, then followed by Vodafone and Yoigo as other options for network providers while in Spain.

How to use 5G in Spain

Once you land in sunny Spain and that holiday heat hits you as you step off the plane, your smartphone will most likely search for a newly available network for you if it has that capability. It will then transfer you over to the strongest network in that area, and you will be able to use your phone as normal.

It's important to mention that you should always check with your current mobile network provider before travelling to ensure that you won't be charged any additional or roaming fees, as these can be very costly and a bit of a shock to the system and bank account when you return home.

If your network does charge roaming fees abroad, you can always remove your SIM card while travelling and purchase a Spanish SIM card for the duration of your holiday.

These can usually be purchased from local supermarkets or phone shops and will work on your smartphone as long as it's unlocked to all networks. Again, you can check this with your own network provider before travelling.

If you choose to do this, your new Spanish number will be written on the package, and you can quickly send this to your contacts to update them on your new number for the remainder of your holiday. You'll then have access to all the capabilities and services that Spain's 5G has to offer.

Which is the best Network Provider to Choose?

From the findings from various reputable sources, it seems that Movistar would be the first choice for most tourists and Spanish residents.

However, if you're already a loyal Vodafone or Orange customer at home you can easily stay with the same network and still be able to use your phone and data.

Movistar is certainly the number one choice if you're hoping to play online games on your phone while on holiday, scoring 67 out of 100 for Video Games Experience on an analysis of the networks.

For people who own a holiday home in Spain and plan to spend a lot of time in the country, Lobster is especially recommended for buying a SIM card as they have plans that you can pause and restart at any time.

Network service and strength can vary from area to area, too, so your particular holiday resort may actually have better signal with one of the other providers, such as Yoigo. The holiday reps or locals will generally know if you ask them once you arrive.

The most important thing to remember, though, is to enjoy your holiday and soak up the Spanish sun while you can!

Image: Pixabay